Apparatus for the manufacture of sheet-glass.



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WILLIAM B. KEIGHLEY, OF VINELAND, NEW JERSEY.

APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF SHEET GLASS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

ratenteo'i. May 8, 1906.

Application filed December '7, 1905. Serial No. 290,819.

To a whom u: may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM B. KEIGHLEY,

a citizen of the United States, residing in Vineland New Jersey, have invented certain Improvements in Apparatus for the Manufacture of Sheet-G] ass, of which the followin is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a machine whereby with a minimum of labor and expense smooth, polished, and annealed sheets of glass of any desired thickness may be roduced.

his object I attain in the manner hereinments of the machine; and Fig. 7 is a viewsimilar to Fi 4, but illustrating a difl'erent form of distrfimter.

An ordinary glass-melting tank is shown at 1 in the drawings, this tank having adjacent to the outlet a float 2 in the form of a perforated block or ring, the function of this float being to strain ofl' or hold back scum, stone, umnelted batch, or other foreign unmelted matter that is not intended to pass off with the glass through the outlet 3, or if the level of lass inthe tank falls to the level of the outdet the float vacts as a check to prevent further flow. Ordinarily, however, the discharge of glass from the outlet 3 is governed by a sliding valve orgate 4,01? stone, clay, iron, or other suitable material, which is vertically guided on the face of thefurnace, so

that it can be raised above the outlet 3 dropped so as to close the same. v

The bottom of the outlet is formed by a wedge-bleak 5 of any suitable material, the

under faceof which rests upon the upperl'ace ot a wedge-block 6, secured to or forming part oi the front wall of the furnace, said wedgeblock 5 being adjustable on the block 6 by any suitable means, so that its up er face may be caused to bear any desired re ation to the top of the outlet-3, and thus determine the,

thickness of the stream of glass flowing through said outlet onto the upper face of the wedge-block 5 beyond the same.

In'front of the furnace is a framework 7, carrying two series of what 1 term distributers, one series being located above the level of the top of the block 5 and theother series being located below said level, whereby said distributerswill be disposed aboveand below the stream of glass flowing from the furnace. a closed vessel 8, having in its lower porrion an outlet, 9, governed by a valve 10, the was sel being provided with one or more pipes 11 for supplying the same with air, gas, oil

- steam, water, or other fluid under pressure or with a nnxture of any two or more of the same, the pressure within the distributer being indicated by a suitable gage 12 on the outside of the same. ricd by a pair of threadct-l rods 13, located one at each end of the distributer, theserods being adapted to threadedopenings in the hubs of worm-wheels 14, which are r ertically confined in brackets 15 on the frame 7 andare engaged by worms 16 on a transverse shaft 17-, mountedin hearings on said frame, each of these shafts being provided with a suitable operating wheel or handle whereby it can be turned so as to raise or lowera distributer.

The opening 9 in the lower portion of each distributer 8 is by preference of greater width at one part than at anothen so as to supply fluid in greater volume at one part than at another or to supply it at one part to the exclusion of another part or parts. Thus, as shown in Fig. 4, the opening 9 is wider at the center than at the ends. Hence as the valve 10 is turned the supply of fluid will begin to flow from the centralpart of the opening and gradually extend to the ends of the same. and when the valve is fully open the supply will be greatest at the center and least at the ends, this diminution of supplyat the ends being compensated for by the spread. of the fluid from the center toward the ends of the distributer, or if there is much Waste of fluid at Fig. 4-that is to say, wider at the ends than.

at the center, as shown in Fig. 7-or if the Each of these distributors consists of Each distribut er is car distributer-opening is of uniform width throughout the same result may be attained by graduating the width of the passage in the valve.

The frame 7 and its distributers are mounted upon a wheeled carriage 18, which runs upon a suitable track upon the flow in front of the furnace, this carriage also being apron, the latter in the present instance consisting of an endless chain 19,v engaging sprocket-wheels 20, which are carried by a shaft 21 at opposite ends of a frame 22 on the carriage 18, said shaft also having spurwheels 23, which are engaged by worms 24 on a longitudinal shaft 25, adapted to bearings on the carriage, said shaft being driven by anysuitable means, those shown in the present instance being an electric motor 26, whose arniature-shaft has a pinion 27 meshing with a spur-wheel 28 on the shaft 25.

- The supporting 'or carrying surface of the endless conveyer-apron consists of blocks 30, preferably of wood, mounted upon the links of the chain 19 and providing a flat table or platform'for the reception of the sheet of glass after the latter has passed between the upper and lower sets of distributers 8 and between :1 pair-of tension-blocks 31 and 32 disposed one above and one below the sheet of glass, as shown in Fig. 1, these blocks being preferably composed of wood and being hollow and provided with pipes 33, so they can be supplied with water, steam, or other fluid. Any desired meansfor adjusting the blocks 31 and 32 in respect to each other to vary the tension upon the glass may be adopted. In Fig. 6 I have shown a lug at the end of the upper block 31, confined between nuts 41 on a screw-stem 42, which projects vertically from the support for the lower block 32. The upper surfaces of the wooden blocks 30 of the conveyer soon become carbonized by the heat of the glass, and these coatings of carbon provide a smooth sup ort, which serves to polish the under side/o the sheet of glass. The

' wooden tension-blocks 31 and 32 will be permeated by the water or steam, and the heat of the glass will convert the same into a thin film of gas or vapor interposed between the surfaces of'the blacks and those of the sheet of glass, thus providing for the smoothing or polishing of the said sheet of glass without dirtilct contact of the tension-blocks therewit 34 by means of a cam 36 at each end of one of the shafts 21, each cam 36 acting upon an antifriction-roller on a rod-37, which is secured to one end of the bar 34, and is yoked for the passage of the shaft 21, the rod 37 beprovided with an endless conveyer belt or j ing normally retained in the upright position (shown in Fig. 1) by the pull of a spring 38.

The block 34 is supplied with current from any available source of supply, that shown in the present instance being a shunt of the circuit which contains the motor 26, one of the terminals 39 of said shunt being so disposed that the block 34 contacts therewith on its descent, so as to complete the circuit through the wire 35 and render the same incandescent before it strikes the sheet of glass upon the conveyer 30. the circuit being broken and the current through the wire 35 being cut off as the block 34 rises. When the wire'35 is in contact with the glass, it travels forward with the same, stretching the spring 38; but as soon as the wire is lifted clear of the glass the retraction of the spring restores said wireto its normal position, the tension of the spring being at that time exhausted and the wire consequently retaining such normal position. In starting the operation the gate 4 is closed, the wedge-block 5 is adjusted so as to provide an outlet of proper size for the outflow of the molten glass, and the carriage 18 is moved up to the front of the furnace, the distributors 8 being separated from each other to such an extent asto provide for the free passage of the sheet of glass between them. The endless conveyer belt or apron having been put inoperation, the gate 4 is lifted when the batch of glass in the furnace has been brought to a proper state of fluidity, and a sheet of glass is thereby permitted to flow out upon the wedge-block or apron 5., As the blocks of which the furnace is constructed, including the wedge-block 5, are at a lower temperature than the glass, a chilling of the latter results, and in order to correct this and to raise the glass to the proper working temperature the first distributer 8 of the up- -per series is charged with oil or gas, which is IIO Located. above the conveyer-apron at the point where it begins t turn around the outermost sprocket-wheel 20 is a vertic'allyreciprocating frame 34, carrying a transverse wire 35, of platinum or other-refractory metal, which is at intervals rendere-i incandescent and is lowered into contact'with the sheet of glass carried by the conveyer-apron 30,\so as to sever the same, the transverse line along which the heat is thus supplied constituting a ature of said sheet of glass 1 o the proper degree and maintain it thereat. The surplus glass at first hows over the edge of the wedge block 5 and into a receptacle 40 upon the carriage 18 until a suitable bait is introduced into the fluid glass, said bait picking up the molten glass, so that upon being withdrawn it causes the glass to follow it in the form of a sheet which is drawn out between the upper and lower series of distributers 8, the baittongs being connected to the conveyor-apron fluid, then a coolin fluid, then a further heating fluid, and t en a further cooling fluid.

11. A sheet-glass machine having a tank, means for drawing a sheet of glass from said tank, a pair of wooden tension-blocks betweenwhich said sheet of glass is caused to pass by said draft appliances and means for supplying watery vapor to the surfaces of said blocks.

12. A sheet-glassmachine having atank, means for drawing a sheet of glass from the tank, and a pair of hollow wooden tensionblocks' between which the sheet of glass is caused to pass by said draft appliance, said blocks being provided with means for supply ingwatery vapor to the surfaces of the same.

13. A sheet-glass machine having a tank, means for drawing a sheet of glass from the tank, a pair of tension-blocks between which the sheet of glass is drawn by said draft appliance, and means located near the outlet of the tank for projecting streams of ignited gas upon said sheet of glass before it reaches said tension-blocks.

14. A sheet-glass machine having a tank, means for drawing a sheet of glass from the tank, a pair of tension-blocks between which the sheet of glass is drawn by said draft appliance, and means located near the outlet of the tank for projecting streams of cooling fluid upon the sheet of glass before it reaches said tension blocks.

15. A sheet-glass machine having a tank, means for drawinga sheet of glass from the tank, a pair of tension-blocks between which the sheet of glass is drawn by said draft appliance, and means for heating and cooling said sheet of glass before it reaches said ten-- sion-blocks.

16. A sheet-glass machine having a tank, means for drawing a sheet of glass therefrom, and an electrically-heated severing device operating in conjunction with said draft mechanism.

17. A sheet-glass machine having a tank,

- means for drawing a sheet of glass therefrom and supporting the same during its travel,

and an electrically-heated severing device movable from and toward said conveyer to contact with the sheet of glass at successive points in the length of the same.

18. A sheet-glass machine having atank, means for drawing a sheet of glass therefrom' and supporting the same during its travel, an electrically-heated severing device for said sheet of glass, and means for opening and closing the electric circuit through said severing device at intervals.

19.. A sheet-glass machine having a tank, means for drawing a sheet of glass therefrom and sup orting it during its travel, anelectrically eated severing device movable froin' and toward said supporting-conveyer to con- .20. A sheet-glass machine having a tank,

means for drawing a sheet of glass therefrom, and an electrically-heated severing device movable from and toward said sheet of glass and also movable forwardly with the same.

21. A sheet-glass maohinehaving a tank, means for drawing a sheet of glass therefrom, and an electrically-heatcd severing device movable from and toward said sheet of glass and also movable forwardly with the same, and a spring for returning said device to its normal position.

' 22. A sheetg'lass machine having a tank, a mechanical device for supporting and carrying forward a sheet of glass issuing from the. tank. and means located near the outlet of the tank for projecting a heating fluid against said sheet of glass before it comes into 'contact with said mechanical conveying device.

23. A sheet-glass machine having a tank and a mechanical device for supporting and carrying forward a sheet of glass issuing from said tank, with means for projecting heating and cooling fluids alternately against said sheet of glass before it.comes into contact with the said mechanical conveying device.

24. A sheet-glass machine having a tank, means for feeding forwardly a sheet of glass issuing horizontally from said tank, and means for projepting lluid under pressure onto the under side of said sheet of glass to buoy up or support the same before it reaches said mecl-ianical conveyer.

25. A sheet-glass machine having a tank,

means for conveying forwardly in a horizont-al direction a sheet of glass issuing from said tank. means for re ecting fluid underpressure onto the un er side the sheet of glass issuing from the tank to buoy up or. support the same before it reaches said n'iechanical conveyor, and a pair of tension-blocks interposed between said mechanical conveyer and said fluid-supporting means.

from said tank, a spray of fluid extending across said sheet and or UHHOIIH tempera throughout, which temperature is lower than that of the said sheet of glass.

.28. A sheet-glass machine having a tank,

and means located near the outlet oftfie tank fofprojecting upon each side of the sheet of 30, which has a relatively slow but regular advance movement imparted to it. The upper and lower distributers 8 and 8 project streams of air onto the sheet of glass so as to chill the same, the air from the distributers 8 being preferably of a higher pressure and a lower temperature than that from the distributers 8 ject streams of ignited gas or oil, either alone or mixed with air or steam, or both, onto the sheet of glass for the purpose of effecting the smoothing outo'f wrinkles, waves, blisters, or previously-produced gas-marks, as well as permitting a drawing or stretching of the sheet of glass under the action of the conveyer belt or apron 30. The di tributers 8 project onto the sheet of glass streams or sprays of heated acid to further smooth and polish the same, and the distributers 8 project onto the glass streams of hot air or hot water to anneal the same before it passes through the tension-blocks 31 and 32 and onto the conveyer 30, which may, if desired, have a higher surface speed than the sheet of glass, so that the frictional action of the wooden blocks of the conveyer uponthe glass has a tendency to further smooth and polish the same, as well as to exert a drawing action upon the sheet to pull it between the distributers and tension-blocks. The streams of air, gas, or other fluid issuing beneath the forwardly-moving sheet of glass serve to buoy up or support the same and render it unnecessary to bring the sheet of glass into contact with any metallic or other sup ort which would tend to mar the surface 0 the sheet or interfere with the proper formation of the same. The continuous sheet of glass is cut into stripsof suitable length by the action of the electrically-heated cutting-off wire 35, the severed sheets being carried by a supplementary conveyer or other suitable means to the leer or annealing-oven, to which they are transferred for further annealing, if that is found to be necessary. It is essential that the distributers'shall eject their several fluids under predetermined pressures and temperatures and that the speed of the conveyer and the tension of the blocks 31 and 32 shall be properly adjusted, these being matters withinthe skill and judgment of the .attendant. j

. At the beginning of the operation the lass is likely. to be thick, wavy, and impe ect but when the distributers and tension-blocks eventually perform their intended functions a continuous sheet of glass of uniform thickness and finish will be produced, provided, of course, that the consistency of the glass, the pressure and \tem erature of the fluid elements, the speed 0 the conve 'er, and the tensiop imparted by the blocks 31 and 32 remain constant.

As the action of the machine is substan- .The distributers 8 and 8 pro' tially automatic after it is once started, it will be evident that it can be operated with a minimum of labor. Hence economical production of the finished product is insured.

Of course it will be understood that many variations in the details of the mechanism can be made without departing from the essential features of my invention. 1 therefore do not wish to limit myself to the specific details shown in the drawings, but

I claim 1. A glass-making furnace or tank having an adjustable block for varying the area of the discharge-outlet from said tank, said block having a wedge bearing on the tank,

whereby it will be raised, and lowered by movement in a direction at right angles to the vertical.

2. A sheet-glass machine havin a tank and means located near the outlet the tank for projecting upon the sheet of glass emerging from the tank a stream of ignited gas or. vapor in a direction transverse to the direction of flow of the sheet.

3. A sheet-glass machine having a tank and means for projecting repeated streams of ignited as or vapor upon the sheet of glass issuing om the tank, said streams being separated from one another in order to permit of a cooling of the sheet of glass between the successive heatings.

4. A sheet-glass machine having a tank and means located near the outlet of the tank for projecting streams of ignited gas or vapor and of air or other fluid successively upon the sheet of glass issuing from the tank.

5. A sheet-glass machine having a tank and means for projecting repeated streams of ignited gas or vapor, alternating with streamsof air or other fluid, upon the sheet of glassissuing from the tank.

6. A sheet-glass machine having a tank and means for providing fluid under pressure to the under side of the sheet of glass issuing from the tank, to buoy up or support the same in its passage.

7. A sheet-glass machine provided with a tank and means located near the outlet of the tank for projecting streams of ignited gas or vapor upon opposite sides of a sheet of glass issuingfrom the tank.

8. A sheet-glass machine having a tank and means located near the outlet of the tank for projecting, first a heat ng fluid and then a cooling fluid, upon a sheet of glass issuing from the tank.

9. A sheetglass machine having a tank.

and means located near the outlet of the tank for projecting, first a heating fluid and then a cooling fluid, upon opposite sides of a sheet of glass issuing from the tank.

10. A sheet-glass machine having a tank, and means for projecting upon a sheet of glass issuing from the tank, first, a heating glass issuing from said tank, a 3 re of fluid f temperature is iess than that of the sheet of to extending across said sheet, an o uniform glass. temperature and pressure throughout.

29. A. sheet-glass machine having a tank, and means located near the outlet of the tank for spraying upon each side of the sheet of glass issuin from said tank, a spray of fluid extending throughout the width of the sheet and of equal temperature throughout, which In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

' WILLIAM B. KEIGHLEY.

Witnesses:

WALTER CBIsM, Jos. H. ICLEIN 

